Daddy's Little Girl
by Rosie2009
Summary: Mal's got a huge problem. She desperately needs Evie, but she and the boys are not available. Mal's not going to talk to Ben about this, so she has to cope by herself. Until someone special comes to talk to her. Hades and Mal father/daughter feels and Bal.


Mal had to find Evie. That was all that was in her brain in that moment. She had to find Evie before she shut down completely. Her sister would know what to say to make her feel better. She would know in what direction to send her.

Mal hurried up the driveway of Evie's home, rushing to the front door as quickly as she could run. Mal attempted to open the door, but to her shock, she couldn't get it to open. She then proceeded to furiously knock on the front door, increasingly freaking out as Evie never answered it.

After a moment, Mal finally remembered that Evie, Jay, and Carlos had left for the University of Auradon to tour it and the town for the weekend. Mal had wanted to go with them, but she hadn't been feeling well for the past few days and she thought it would be best to wait it out and go with Evie some other week. She knew the bluenette would eagerly go with her to the university even after Evie had already been.

However, that certainly put a wrench into her plans. Evie, Jay, and Carlos weren't there. Her three top confidants were not there to help her with this enormous problem. And she couldn't talk to Ben about it.

There was no way Mal was going to talk to Ben about this. He would surely hate her for it. He wouldn't take the news well at all. They had never talked about it before, and he had certainly never broached the subject himself.

So Mal headed for the one spot that had become her safe haven at her and Ben's castle- the roof. She needed to think, and her place was the best place to do it.

Before too long, she had made her way to the castle and was ascending the stairs that led to the uppermost level before the roof. Her and Ben's bedroom was there, and she really hoped that she wouldn't run into him.

However, as her rotten luck would have it, he was just entering their bedroom when she rushed up the stairs.

"Mal! Hey, I was wondering where you got off to," Ben started to say to her, approaching quickly. Mal's eyes widened and she jumped to the side quickly, desperately attempting to avoid his grasp.

"Mal? Mal?!" She could hear him worriedly calling from behind her. Without hesitation, Mal just ran up the small set of steps around the corner that went up to her balcony on the roof. She could hear Ben running after her, but she didn't turn around.

As soon as she burst through the door at the top, she locked it from the outside. After all, Ben had designed it that way so she could have private time when she needed it. Mal stepped forward, slowing down for the first time that she had found out the news.

She just stared at the beauty of the sunset before her and allowed herself to take it all in. Mal barely registered her husband's anxious knocking on the door.

After a moment, however, everything came crashing down on her once more and she allowed herself to burst into tears.

"Mal?! Are you okay?!" Mal shook her head in silent negation, burying her face in her knees as she sobbed messily and threw all attempts at being dignified to the wind.

Ben tried the door several more times, but he eventually gave up and left. She quieted and listened to his retreating footsteps as she carefully wiped at the ever-cascading waterfall of tears.

She couldn't believe that this had actually happened. Of course, it was bound to, given what the situation was. But Mal just didn't know what she was going to do. What would Ben do? She wasn't prepared for this. Mal had absolutely no experience with this… situation… and absolutely no example to follow.

Mal sniffed hard, staring at the redness of the sky as she reached into her pocket for her phone.

She needed to talk to someone who would understand. It wasn't as good as her sister actually being here, but maybe she could beg her into coming back early and perhaps as soon as that very night. Evie drove like a bat out of nowhere and got road rage even worse than Mal herself. The three had taken her car, so she'd most assuredly get them back faster than the Fairy Godmother could say Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo. Especially in the face of Mal's emergency.

Just as she started to dial Evie's number, however, she heard a different sort of knock. It most certainly wasn't Ben with that freaking-out-banging-the-door-down, so she couldn't help but wonder who was on the other side of the door.

"Mal? You okay? It's Dad," Mal clearly picked up Hades' voice as he raised it slightly so she could more easily hear him.

Needless to say, Mal was a bit shocked. She had almost forgotten her dad was living there at the castle with her, Ben, and Ben's parents. At Mal's request, Ben, with a remarkably small amount of hesitance, had prepared Hades a room in the castle.

Of course, he had also made rooms for Evie, Jay, and Carlos as well, despite the fact that Evie already had a house. He made one for Evie because the two girls sometimes just wanted time with each other that was reminiscent of their time in the dorms together. Granted, in due time, Mal and Evie would hopefully be sharing a room once again at the University of Auradon, but that would be three months later.

Mal couldn't help but berate herself for not remembering her dad was in the castle. But she guessed she hadn't been herself this evening ever since she had found out the news.

"I'm fine," Mal stubbornly replied, trying and miserably failing to keep her distress out of her voice.

"Uh-huh, and I'm a blue-haired princess," Hades replied smartly, and Mal groaned. Unfortunately for her, he knew she was lying. She had really hoped that she sounded convincing enough.

"So are you going to let me in, or do I have to break down the door?" he inquired, and Mal could almost see his arms cross over his chest with an eyebrow raise.

Mal looked down wistfully at her phone. Evie wasn't here, and even her with her infamous driving would not get her there immediately. Mal needed to talk to someone. Someone that was not Ben, but also someone she could trust.

It was going to be really awkward talking to her dad about a thing like this, though, and she really wished that she could just ask him to leave, despite her internal turmoil. However, she knew that he was most likely not bluffing with his tearing down the door comment.

So, after a sigh, she put her phone in her pocket and slowly ambled over to the door. Mal gingerly unlocked it and let out a breath as she mentally prepared herself for the conversation.

"Technically, it's letting you out, because in case you haven't noticed, I'm on the roof," Mal told him as she opened the door, attempting to have something akin to her usual to say. He smirked at her, rolling his eyes and she offered a soft, half-hearted smile in return.

All of his snark immediately disappeared when he saw the look on her face, and he shut the door behind him carefully, proceeding without hesitation to lock it back.

"What's going on?" he questioned, looking at her with a so foreign yet familiar fondness in his eyes. Mal looked down at her shoes and turned on her heel silently, walking over to the railing that was facing the quickly fading sunset.

She leaned against it, watching the horizon's shift in colors. Mal listened as Hades walked up from behind her and joined her.

"Dad… I'm pregnant," Mal murmured, keeping her eyes on the sky and avoiding his gaze that she practically heard snap over to her form.

"Really?" he finally asked with his voice low and his tone unreadable.

"Yes," Mal confirmed, feeling the well of tears returning to her.

"Mal, that's wonderful news," Hades told her quietly and Mal could hear the unadulterated sincerity in his statement. But somehow it managed to simply upset her more.

As more and more tears slipped down her face, she felt Hades drawing closer to her.

"Mal? Baby, come here," she was immediately pulled into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. That was when the dam completely broke and she truly and deeply broke into a sobbing mess.

"You're okay, baby girl. It's okay," she heard her dad whisper lowly as he held her tightly against him, his arms wrapped around her in a comfortingly protective embrace. Mal clung to his middle tightly, not realizing how much she had needed a father until just now.

"I didn't plan for this to happen," Mal's voice broke, a sob making its way into her voice. He just squeezed her gently and comfortingly and Mal melted into him more.

"I know," Hades whispered, resting his chin on her head as he spoke.

"He won't love me anymore, Dad. He won't. I don't think he wants kids yet. He's never said anything about them," Mal cried, burying her face into Hades' shirt in an attempt to get away from everything that was bugging her.

"Baby, if he's never said anything about it, how do you know he doesn't want it?" Hades asked her as he rubbed her back soothingly.

"I don't know. I'm just terrified of losing him," Mal confessed. "This is fragile. Our relationship is fragile. It always has been."

"You don't know that," he told Mal and kept his voice firm but gentle all the same. "The best I've understood from that boy is that he loves you dearly. Honey, he married you. I'm pretty sure he knew that was going to come with a baby or two along the way," he lightly told her.

"I'm scared. I don't want anything to happen to this life that I have now. What if he wants me to get rid of the baby? I won't, Dad, I won't do it. Not now, not ever," Mal hysterically explained, her brain racing in circles frantically.

"Nobody's asking you to get rid of it. Noone _will_ ask you to get rid of it, and if they do, they can come to me," Hades firmly told her, and despite her insecurities, Mal couldn't help but believe every word that he said. "Besides, no one does that. Not here. These are a bunch of goody-goodies that wouldn't ever dream of something horrid like that."

For a while longer, they just stood there together. He stroked her back carefully and she fisted the fabric of his coat, trying to hold back any more tears.

Despite the fact that she had wanted to come to Evie first, Mal was very glad that she had come to her father in the end. It was so nice to be cared for by a parent. Someone that made her feel physically and mentally safe.

It was not that she didn't feel safe with Jay, Carlos, or Evie. Evie was one of the most comforting people that Mal had ever had in her life. She could always depend on her and Evie always made her feel loved and warm. And Jay made her feel physically safe.

But something about her dad made her feel even safer. He towered over her and he could somehow envelop every inch of her into his big, heat-radiating body. And she could feel his pride and love for her coming off in waves. She could also feel that very much fatherly protectiveness emanating heavily. Every thump of his heartbeat seemed to promise immediate and painful death to whoever made the horrid decision to hurt his baby.

Mal finally sighed and spoke, knowing that she had to face the facts sooner or later.

"Do you think I should talk to him about it?" Mal mumbled from her place pressed against his chest, very much dreading his answer because she knew exactly what it would be. He sighed and loosened his hold on her slightly.

"Yeah. You can't keep it a secret forever, after all," Hades spoke.

"I was afraid you'd say that," Mal chuckled lightly, letting go of her father and shaking her head as she glanced up at the stars that seemed to have apparated from nowhere.

Hades just laughed quietly at her comment, and she could sense the relief pouring off of him in waves.

"Yeah, well, pretty soon that baby's going to start showing itself, so you might as well warn ol' Benny-Boo. Y'know, before he makes some stupid comment about you getting fat or something, and I've got to steal his soul and bury his body in the backyard of his own castle," he nonchalantly explained. Mal couldn't help but giggle. Hades glanced over at the sound and he got a mischievous look in his eye as he continued.

"Wouldn't that be a shame? Murdered in your own castle and laid to rest in your own backyard? Seriously, that would have to be the biggest embarrassment ever. Beauty and the Beast would have to disown him so he wouldn't stain the family name," Hades joked, and Mal was full-on laughing at that point. She leaned her head on his shoulder as she attempted to overcome her mirth, and she noted the pleased grin on his face at her happiness as he wrapped an arm around her.

When she had finally calmed, Mal looked up at the towering man next to her, smiling and feeling so much better than she had before.

"I… I love you, Dad," Mal told him with only a small pause.

It was hard expressing her feelings toward him. She hadn't completely learned everything about him, but she had quickly learned to love him. It was strange for Mal to suddenly take to someone like she had. She was generally a very untrusting soul when it came to anyone outside of Evie, Carlos, Jay, and Ben, and she certainly withheld her love from anyone outside of those four people unless she had adjusted to them for a long time.

But with Hades, she could see in his eyes how much he cared. In those awkward movements and mannerisms, she could see and feel the love he had for her. Mal wasn't one for words, and she could see exactly where she had gotten it from. Her father expressed his emotions through his actions, and what he was trying to convey to her came through as clearly as could be, despite the fact that it was some sort of mysterious code to other people.

"I love you, too, baby girl," he replied, squeezing her gently in that special emphasis that only he had.

Mal closed her eyes, just allowing herself to enjoy his presence there with her.

…

"Ben?" Mal hesitantly called, and the king immediately raised his gaze from his anxious pacing by the staircase. Her and Hades were descending the steps, both of them looking mostly content, and Ben couldn't help but sigh in pure unadulterated relief.

However, from behind Mal, Hades was giving him that terrifying look that seemed almost like he was sizing up his prey before going in for the kill. Ben swallowed hard, shifted his gaze away from Hades quickly. Ben couldn't help but wonder if he had done something to hurt Mal. Something that would invoke the explosive anger of her father.

But he was confused when he saw the look on Mal's face. She appeared nervous and there was a hint of excitement in her gaze as she stepped down onto the floor of the hall, crossing over to Ben.

"I need to tell you something," the faerie before him began, and Ben found himself terrified. He had no idea what was about to come out of her mouth.

She took his hands carefully and he squeezed hers comfortingly in return. After a long breath and a glance at Hades, Mal finally met his eyes and spoke again.

"I'm pregnant, Ben."

The king's mind immediately went blank as soon as she spoke those words. His eyes widened comically as he glanced down at her stomach. Several times he shifted his gaze between her and her abdomen, and he absent-mindedly noted how she looked more and more concerned each time.

But then it finally dawned upon him. Mal was going to have a baby, and he was going to be a dad.

"You're going to have a baby?!" he practically squealed as he stared into her eyes with a big grin. She nodded, some of her confidence coming back to her as he grew increasingly thrilled.

"You're going to have a BABY?!" Mal was now laughing and Ben scooped her up into a hug and hopped in circles, her legs dangling off the floor as they excitedly jumped around.

When he finally put her down, they were both nearly breathless. Mal had a ridiculously wide smile on her face.

"I'm going to be a dad!" Ben exclaimed before leaning in to kiss his wife. But before he could get too into it, a voice suddenly interrupted.

"And I'm going to be a _grand_dad of a lot more children if you two keep that mess up," Hades deadpanned. Mal pulled away from Ben with a laugh, holding out her hand for her dad to join the embrace.

He looked a bit taken aback for a moment, but he quickly recovered, rolling his eyes and hugging his daughter. He avoided Ben, but he wrapped one arm around Mal, leaning against her fondly.

Ben wasted no time in wrapping his arms around both of them and he immediately felt Hades stiffen under his hold.

Before Ben knew it, Hades had leaned his head so that his mouth was next to Ben's ear as he spoke.

"Florian, you treat my baby and grandbaby, right, you feel me?" Ben felt him alright. He very plainly felt the threat tainting Hades' every word and the tightening of his fistful of Ben's shirt.

Ben subtly nodded in response, absently wondering how Mal's father had found out his middle name.

Mal had them both sweetly wrapped in her embrace, none the wiser to Hades' menacing whisper, and Ben smiled down at her. He loved his Queen. Even if her dad _did_ scare the living daylights out of him.

**A/N: So, I had to write this. The reason being that Hades is dad goals. 3 I can't be the only one that found Mal's dad ridiculously sweet in his own deadpan, Mal-esque sort of way? That's surely where she gets her weirdness from, LOL.**

**Anyways, I have lots more ideas stewing in the old noodle. I've been thinking about a Mal and Evie friendship one, Jay x Audrey one, an Audrey and Mal friendship one, and a Hades and the Core Four one. An interesting agenda, right? I don't know which one I'll start working on first, so just be on the lookout. ;)**

**Anyways, I hope you liked the story and have a great day!**


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